1. gubbins — [British informal] odds and ends; thing of no value
“You don’t have time to worry about that gubbins,” Sheila said, “our packs are full enough already.”
2. nomothetic — based upon law; of or related to universal laws
Dr. Hardwithe’s success stemmed ultimately from his misapprehension of the fundamental divide in clinical psychology, in which he contrasted the nomothetic position with the idiopathic, instead of the usual idiographic.
3. alexithymia — inability or deficiency in experiencing or grasping emotions
As is often the case with patients such as these, Mr. A suffered from severe alexithymia, which was both a defense from and a progenitor of much of the social difficulties that had brought him to our clinic.
4. subduction — movement of tectonic plate below and aside under the force of another crustal plate
Though the connection of boninite with subduction is certain, the mechanism by which the mineral is produced is a matter of some debate.
5. illation — conclusion, inference, deduction
But Safire’s eccentric illation went much farther than this, positing (correctly, as it turned out, but—as Wittens noted—with insufficient evidence) the existence of at least three men behind the attempt, all from this selfsame button and broken shoestring.
6. frore — [archaic] frozen, extremely cold
My painful breath seemed the only sound in the frore and murky wood.
7. overmantel — panel or decoration above a mantel
The famous overmantel was designed by Fleming himself, though it is believed that much of the carving was the product of Locksley, who also constructed most of the furniture in this room.
8. fenugreek — legume native to western Asia; seeds of this plant which are used in cooking and medicine
For this curry, the perfume of the fenugreek leaves contrasts with the gaminess of the meat, so you’ll want to use fresh rather than dried fenugreek.
9. hemiplegia — paralysis of one side of the body
But he ignored his own moral hemiplegia, saving his charity only for the weaker sex.
10. muddlehead — stupid person
Discussing the ‘ideas’ of this muddlehead is like discussing the mountain climbing ability of freshwater fish.